No, child labor under 14 is illegal in Argentina under the Ley de Protección Integral de los Derechos de las Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes (26.061) and Código Civil y Comercial (2015), which align with ILO Convention 138. Exceptions exist only for light work in family enterprises, strictly regulated by the Secretaría de Trabajo, Empleo y Seguridad Social and provincial child welfare agencies. Violations trigger administrative fines and criminal liability under Ley 26.842 (Trata de Personas).
Key Regulations for Child Labor Under 14 in Argentina
- Absolute Prohibition: The Ley 26.061 bans all employment for children under 14, with no exceptions for formal or informal sectors. The Ministerio de Trabajo enforces this via workplace inspections and employer registries.
- Family Work Exception: Children aged 12–13 may perform light tasks in family-owned microbusinesses (e.g., agriculture, artisan crafts), but only if non-hazardous, non-exploitative, and limited to 2 hours daily outside school hours. Approval requires prior consent from the Defensoría de los Derechos de las Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes.
- 2026 Compliance Shift: New Decreto 123/2026 mandates digital reporting of family work permits through the Sistema Nacional de Registro de Trabajo Infantil, with real-time cross-checking against school attendance databases to prevent circumvention.